Counter construction.



G. R MEYERCORD.

COUNTER CONSTRUCTION.

Armcmow man pzc. 21. um.

Patented July 16, 19]@n l l l f l l l f GEORGE B. MEYERCORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COUNTER coNsrRucTIoN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1c, isis.

Application led December 21, 1917. Serial No. 208,214.

To gill whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE R. MEYER- cono, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of-Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in CounterConstruction, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the vsame, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this speciiication.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple and novel construction and arrangement of parts which will make it possible to build .vitrolite or marble counters of great mechanical strength' and stability without subjecting the vitrolite or marble slabs or panels to heavy stresses or leaving it possible for injurious stresses to be trans mitted to the slabs or panels.

A further object of my invention is to produce a simple and novel composite counter comprising a frame structure and a sanitary covering of vitrolite, marble, or other suitable material which may be ap' plied in a simple manner after the framework has been set up, so as to avoid the danger of chipping or damaging'the sanitary covering material by the tools employed in putting the framework together.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in. the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and 'advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of a counter arranged in accordance with one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is' an end or side view of the counter;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on an enlarged scale taken approximately on line 3 3 of Fig. l, and parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on the same scale as Fig. 3,taken approximately on line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and y Fig. 5 is a section on the same scale as Figs. 3 and 4, taken approximately on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Reference being had to the drawing, l, 2,

3 and 4 represent the four corner posts of a counter. If the counter is along one, one

or more pairs of intermediate posts, of which one pair, 5 and 6, is illustrated, should be provided.

The corner posts are preferably made of wood having their inner corners cut away to receive a vertical angle iron, 7. The four angle irons are connected together by suit. able rectangular frames, 8 and 9, each of which may conveniently be made of angle irons. The two frames, 8 and 9, are spaced apart from each other yertically so that with the corner posts they form a rigid skeleton structure. The front intermediate post, 5, may have on the inner side thereof' vertical rooves, 11, the inner walls of which may be ormed by the corresponding angle irons 7. The two rear corner posts are provided With grooves, l1, corresponding to those in the front corner posts, but on one side only, because the rear of the counter will be left open.

The grooves, l1, are made wide enough to receive slabs or panels, 12, of marble, vitrolite, or the like which, it will be seen, may be slipped into place from above the posts after the frame structure has been set up. On the rear. side of each panel is fastened a sheet, 13, of wood, ber, or other suitable materiahpreferably material which will absorb shocks. The sheets or layers, 13, are attached to the panels bycement which is `preferably in the form of a comparatively thick layer, 14, and is resilient so as to resist shocks.

After the front and side slabs have been placed in position, the posts are covered by metal sheathing which may be enameled so as to have the same appearance as the slabs,

or be otherwise decorated or ornamented.

vplanes of the corresponding side panels and the front panels. These devices serve not only to provide the posts with sanitary surfaces bllt they have the additionalfunction of pressing the slabs or panels inwardly so that the cushion-like backing is pressed 5 firmly against the frames 8 and 9. For the purpose of making the members 15 serve efficiently as holding devices, the two free edges of each, where they contact with the vitrolite or marble, are bent inwardly as indicated at 16 and, secured to the post so as to projectv slightly toward the corresponding panel or slab across the outer edge of the groove'in the post in which the end of the panel or slab lies, are flat metal strips or straight edges, 17, which extend behind the inturned anges, 16. The straight edges, 17, may be accurately positioned so that the edges facing the vitrolite or marble will be parallel to the latter andconsequently, when the sheathing members are slipped down over the posts, contact will be secured between the vitrolite or marble and the edges of the sheathing throughout the entire length of such edges, and the slabs or panels will be held in place with a uniform yielding pressure.

The intermediate front post, 5, is provided with a sheathing, 18, wh1ch extends across the front face and across the two side faces far enough to engage with the front slabs or panels. The member 18 has the hook-like flanges, 16, which coperate with the straight edges, 17, in the same way as heretofore described in connection with the front corner posts. At the rear corner posts, the sheathing devices, 19, are the same as those at the front corner posts except that there are no vitreous slabs or panels at the rear side of the counter and therefore the edges of the sheathing members which extend to the rear flanges of the upright angle irons 7 of the rear 'corner posts, are simply bent inwardly as indicated at 20, so as to rlie between these flanges and adjacent wood portions of the The rear intermediate post may be provided with a suitable sheathing, 21, which extends completely around three sides and on the fourth side of the post has flanges,

22, directed toward each other.

It will be seen that the framework as completely set up has a rough structure which does not have to be handled carefully in order to avoid spoiling the appearance of its surfaces and, after the framework has been set up, the sanitary covering is applied by the simple process of lowering the vitreous panels into the grooves provided for them and then slipping the sheathing members down over the posts.

If desired, the slabs or panels may be provided with vertical grooves into which the edges of the sheathing-extend. In the arrangement shown, there are such grooves in a thickened portion, 24, at the bottom of each of the slabs or panels, such grooves being indicated at 25.

After the counter has been completed,- except for the top, a frame, 26, preferably of wood, is placed on top of the posts and the counter top, 27, of vitrolite or marble is then cemented upon this frame. Where the top of the counter is to overhang a considerable distance, the overhanging portion may be given support by kmeans of a wooden frame, 28, engaging the under side thereof at some distance from the body of the counter; thisframe being carried upon the outer ends of suitable brackets, 29, attached tothe tops of the posts or to the frame, 26, as may be desired. The frame 28 is concealed by slabs, 30, of vitrolite or marble cemented to the exposed surfaces thereof. If desired, the frame 28 may be provided at its corners with short post-like members,l 31, covered with a sheathing, 32, in substantially the same way as the post 6 is covered.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention in a structure which I have called a counter, I do not desire to be limited to the exact details thus illustrated and described or to'this one particular field 0f use; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements that fall within the terms of the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims, the word counter being employed in a general sense to indicate a structure in the nature of a counter.

I claim: v

1. A counter comprising a rigid frame structure determining the size and shape of the counter and provided with posts having grooves facing each other and opening .out of the tops of the posts, sanitary slabs extending between the posts and having their ends lying in the grooves in the lattelyand detachable Ametal shells forming coverings for said posts and engaging with said slabs so-as to form therewith a detachable sanitary covering having an exposed surface made up wholly of the slabs and of said cov,- erings.

2. A counter comprising a frame structure made up of a plurality of posts and a plurality of parallel frames secured to the inner portions of the, posts, said posts having vertical slots therein facing each other, sanitary slabs extending between the posts and having their ends lying in said grooves, cushions on the rear or inner faces of the slabs, and means for holding said slabs inwardly so as to presssaid cushions against said frames.

3. A counter having a frame structure determining the size and shape of the counter and provided with projecting posts, and a detachable covering for concealing said loo frame structure-comprising sanitary slabs adapted to extend between the posts and sheathing members adapted to extend over the exposed portions of the posts and engage with the slabs. t

4. A counter having a frame structure provided with projecting posts, `sanitary slabs adapted to extend between the posts` out of position from the tops of the posts and having interlocking engagement with the posts to prevent displacement laterally ofl the-slabs and sheathing members.l

f5. A counter having a frame structure provided with projectlng wooden posts, thel posts having vertical grooves arranged in'- t-he faces directed toward each other andl opening out of the tops of the posts, sanitary slabs extending between` the posts and projecting at .their ends into f the grooves, metal strips secured to thegposts and each having an edge projecting toward the adjacent slab across the mouth of the correspond.

ing groove, and sheathing members fitting over the exposed portions of the posts in contact with the slabs and having-their free edges bent over the projecting edges of the said strips.

6. A counter having a 'frame structure ,I provided with projecting posts, sanitary slabs lying against said frame structure between the posts, sheathing members extending over ,the exposed portions of said posts and engaging with said slabs to hold them against said frame, said sheathing members being -interlocked with said posts against lateral displacement and being removable therefrom by sliding movements in lthe upward direction. l

7. A counter having a rigid frame structure self-sustainingand determining and maintaining the size and shape of the counter and provided with projecting posts, sanitary slabs fitting loosely between said postsand lying against said frame structure., and sheathing members for the posts engaging with said slabs and forming with the same a complete sanitary covering for said frame structure and said posts.

8. A counter having a frame structure comprising separated parallel metal frames lying one above the other, vertical wooden posts distributed about and secured to said frames, sanitary slabs provided with cush-k ioned surfaces engaging said frames, and

sanitary sheathing members on said posts and engaging with said slabs to hold them against said frames.

9. A counter comprising a rigid self-sustaining frame-like structure having upright posts, and a sanitary covering of vitreous slabs and metal sheathing members completely conceal-ing the exterior of said frame structure, said covering being interlocked with the posts against lateral displacement and freely movable on the posts in the vertical direction for assembling pur oses.

In testimony whereof, l sign t 1s specification.

GEORGE R. MEYERCORD. 

